What is the price of ethereum today?
The price of ethereum, or 1 ETH, was $2,299.44 as of 8 a.m. ET. The crypto’s highest intraday price in the past year was $4,088.00 on March 12, 2024.
Ethereum price chart
*The return comparisons are as of 8 a.m. ET.
Ethereum launched in 2015 and is the most popular altcoin. Along with bitcoin, it has become one of the most recognizable forms of cryptocurrency.
Ethereum price history
The chart pulls data as of 8 a.m. ET daily and doesn’t display intraday highs or lows.
Ethereum reached a 52-week intraday high of $4,088.00 on March 12, 2024, and a 52-week intraday low of $1,520.00 on Oct. 12, 2023.
The leading altcoin has a global market capitalization of $293.24 billion. Year over year, ETH has increased 41%.
Ethereum market cap
Ethereum’s market capitalization of $293.24 billion is second to bitcoin’s. It’s similar to some major blue-chip stocks. These include the Coca-Cola Co. (KO) at $309 billion and Merck & Co. (MRK) at $301 billion.
ETH is a popular choice among crypto investors. Together with bitcoin, it makes up 71% of the crypto market.
What is ethereum?
Ethereum is a decentralized blockchain-based platform. It facilitates secure financial transactions. The network’s native token is ether.
Bitcoin also uses blockchain technology. But it operates differently. Ethereum has a programmable blockchain that offers users additional utility via smart contracts. Smart contracts run automatically when certain conditions are met.
Many users prefer ethereum’s decentralized network because it doesn’t rely on Big Tech companies. The network of small, private computers doesn’t use cloud servers owned by Google or Amazon.
Ethereum’s blockchain is used for decentralized finance, gaming, socializing and gambling. Nonfungible tokens, one-of-a-kind digital collectibles, also exist on the blockchain. NFTs represent ownership of unique digital assets, such as works of art, songs and videos.
Ethereum gas price
Users pay ethereum gas fees to process transactions or use smart contracts on the network. They’re similar to highway tolls.
Gas fees are paid in gwei, a unit representing one billionth of one ETH.
Ethereum price history
Ethereum prices 2015-2020
Ethereum launched in July 2015. Not long after, it hit its all-time low of 42 cents in October 2015.
But that didn’t last long. Trading picked up sharply in 2017. ETH hit $1,000 for the first time in January 2018. Just two weeks later, it reached a new peak of $1,300.
CME Group’s announcement that it would offer bitcoin futures contracts drove the rally. But enthusiasm ebbed in 2018. That year saw the start of a bear market, often referred to as a “crypto winter.”
2020 brought another boom. The COVID-19 pandemic likely played a major role. The distribution of stimulus funds and low interest rates meant many Americans had money to speculate.
Ethereum prices 2021-2024
Ethereum nearly cracked $5,000 at the end of 2021, hitting $4,891.70 on Nov. 16, 2021. But interest rate increases gave investors alternatives, resulting in another cooling of the market. High-profile bankruptcies, including leading cryptocurrency exchange FTX in November 2022, also hit the industry. ETH fell under $900 that year.
But 2023 brought a new rally and more optimism from investors. That carried into 2024, with the Securities and Exchange Commission approving several bitcoin spot exchange-traded funds in January.
Ether spot ETFs started trading in the U.S. on July 23, 2024. The funds come from BlackRock, Fidelity and Grayscale, to name a few. They can be found on the New York Stock Exchange, Nasdaq and Chicago Board Options Exchange.
In early August 2024, ethereum prices plummeted after a widespread crypto sell-off hit global markets. Prices plunged from well above the $3,000 threshold on Aug. 3 to less than $2,500 on Aug. 4. Currently, ETH trades at $2,299.44.
Ethereum price vs. bitcoin price
Ethereum launched in 2015. Both ethereum and bitcoin have been spectacular investments since then.
The SEC’s approval of bitcoin spot ETFs in early 2024 has reversed the performance gap between the two cryptos. BTC is up 131% and ETH is up 41% year over year.
How to buy ethereum
Ethereum is available on major crypto exchanges such as Binance, Coinbase and Kraken. It trades under the ticker symbol ETH. Select online brokerages also let you trade crypto, including Robinhood, Interactive Brokers and Webull.
You can buy ethereum using popular payment apps like Venmo and PayPal. And you can purchase it directly through physical cryptocurrency ATMs.
How to safely store ethereum
To store, send and receive ETH, you need a crypto wallet.
Private keys protect these digital wallets. The person with the private key controls the wallet’s contents.
Ethereum wallets come in different forms. Some are hardware wallets that look like USB sticks. Others are software wallet apps on smartphones, tablets or computers. Wallets can also be hot or cold. Hot wallets are connected to the internet, offering convenience. Cold wallets aren’t connected to the internet and are generally considered more secure.
Ethereum ETFs
Investors now have alternatives to buying ETH directly. Ethereum funds
Approved by the SEC in late 2023, ethereum futures ETFs are relatively new. They don’t invest directly. Rather, they hold futures contracts. The Bitwise Ethereum Strategy ETF (AETH), VanEck Ethereum Strategy ETF (EFUT) and ProShares Ether Strategy ETF (EETH) are the three leading ethereum futures ETFs.
Ether spot ETFs, which include the iShares Ethereum Trust (ETHA), Fidelity Ethereum Fund (FETH), and Grayscale Ethereum Trust (ETHE), debuted in July 2024.
The approval of bitcoin and ether spot ETFs may indicate a softening toward some cryptos in their legal fights.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Ethereum does not represent ownership of assets with tangible value and does not generate earnings, revenue or cash flow. ETH’s price is determined exclusively by supply and demand. If the popularity of the ethereum network continues to grow in the long term, demand for ethereum will likely grow over time.
No. Since the ethereum network upgraded from a proof-of-work model to a proof-of-stake model, ethereum mining is no longer necessary. But ethereum investors can still profit from the proof-of-stake system by staking ETH.
